On July 14, 2026, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange celebrated its ninth anniversary. In honor of this event, the platform published a detailed performance report and launched a massive month-long campaign Built by You with a prize pool exceeding $4.5 million.
The key metric that immediately stands out is that Binance's client base has exceeded 300 million registered users in over 100 countries. Over the past six months, the retail segment has grown by approximately 7%, while the institutional segment has grown by 9%. Notably, according to the exchange, about 43% of all cryptocurrency holders worldwide actively use its services. For comparison: in 2017, when Binance was just starting out, the total number of global digital asset owners was less than 6 million people, and by 2025 this figure had exceeded 741 million.
The exchange's listing also expanded: the number of coins increased by 11%, and trading pairs by 3%. Over its entire history, the platform has processed 313,653 requests from law enforcement agencies, of which 36,235 came in the first half of 2026. This year alone, with Binance's assistance, authorities have managed to recover or freeze over $40 million.
TradFi, ETFs, and Tokenized Securities: A New Era
Since March 2026, the monthly trading volume of traditional financial instruments (TradFi) on the platform has exceeded $80 billion. In June, the exchange opened access to over 7,000 US stocks and ETFs. The direct stock trading service Direct Stocks attracted $1 billion in assets under management and about $3 billion in total turnover in 30 days. Notably, more than 73% of the first month's volume came from users in emerging markets.
Tokenized securities bStocks reached $100 million in assets just 15 days after launch. Nearly half of the transactions (47%) occur when US exchanges are closed. These figures are a compelling argument for the "super app" concept, where cryptocurrencies, stocks, payments, and on-chain services are integrated into a single interface. According to Binance Research's forecast, by 2031, crypto exchanges will bring nearly 300 million new users and about $2 trillion in capital to global stock markets.
"The next era of digital finance will be defined by access, user control over assets, practical utility, and a regulated path to global markets," notes Binance.
Payments, Rewards, and Community
Binance Pay already supports national payment systems with QR codes in six countries, and the number is planned to increase to ten by the end of Q3. Binance Card is available in 36 countries. In the first half of the year, the volume of transactions through fiat payment channels reached $83.3 billion, which is 29% more than a year earlier.
Since 2019, the Binance Earn program has distributed $4.1 billion in income. The Launchpool, Megadrop, and HODLer Airdrops programs have issued $5.1 billion in rewards, and the Binance Alpha platform about $800 million. Over the half-year, the exchange collected 2,354 user reviews and made 198 improvements across 47 product categories. Among the changes are the Merchant Pay feature in the Binance Junior app with parental controls and a revision of VIP program thresholds in March.
The community is also growing at an impressive rate: by mid-June, the number of authors on Binance Square reached 4.74 million. This is 58% more than for the entire year of 2025. The exchange's online events were attended by 2.2 million people.
How to Participate in the Built by You Campaign
The Built by You campaign is built around a virtual city of nine landmarks, each corresponding to one of the exchange's products — from the first deposit to spot trading. Participants need to claim the 9YA bonus on the campaign page, then complete one task at each landmark. A reward is awarded for each completed stage, and after the ninth, the final drop from the total pool of $4.5 million is unlocked. The campaign will run throughout July, and simultaneously, the platform will hold offline meetings with users.
My analysis: Binance's ninth anniversary is not just a celebratory date but a demonstration of market maturity. The TradFi and tokenized securities figures indicate that crypto exchanges are ceasing to be mere platforms for speculation and are transforming into full-fledged financial supermarkets. The $4.5 million prize pool is not only marketing but also a way to attract a new audience, especially given the growing interest in hybrid products. If the trend continues, by 2031 we will see not just an increase in the number of users but a fundamental change in the structure of global capital markets.